Man killed in crash of small plane near Rocky Mountain House

A well-known single father has been killed in a crash following an aerobatic training exercise in Rocky Mountain House on Thursday afternoon.

Mark Chevallier, 36, was the lone occupant of the Pits S1S prop plane that crashed into a wooded area near the Rocky Mountain House Airport.

The Rocky Mountain House RCMP responded to the crash at approximately 4:30 p.m.

Chevallier, single father of a 5-year-old boy, worked at Chevallier Geo-Con Ltd., a company that equips GPS systems in heavy equipment used in the oilfeild, agriculture and forest industries.

Chevallier was heavily involved in COPA For Kids — an aviation program that provides a flying experience for kids free of charge. He was also on the executive board for the famous Rocky Mountain House Airshow.

The loss of the avid pilot is heavy for those who work at the tight-knit airport.

Barney Bert, assistant airport manager, said on Friday that the airport was closed during a Transportation Safety Board investigation.

“He (Chevallier) was a very well-known member of the local flying community,” Bert said.

“All I can say at this point is there is no active use of the airport pending the investigation.”

Further information will be released once the investigation into the cause of the crash is complete.